A Muir Woods Connection
January 2013
In 1899 Andrew Lind, a Swedish immigrant built a house at 25 Bigelow Ave. in Mill Valley. He met his future wife Sophie in Mill Valley. In 1902, Sophie and her daughter Marie had emigrated from Denmark. Andrew worked for Dr. John Cushing at the Blithedale Hotel. In August 1903, Sophie gave birth to a daughter, Florence Lind.
In 1905 William Kent purchased 611 acres of Redwood Canyon from the Tamalpais Land & Water Company. He hired Andrew Lind as “keeper.” In 1908 William Kent turned over 295 acres to president Roosevelt, Muir Woods National Monument was established and Andrew Lind became custodian. He, his wife Sophie and their daughters Marie and Florence, moved From Bigelow Ave. to a two-story house across from Muir Woods on Redwood Creek next to the Dipsea Trail.
In July 1910 Andrew Lind was formally hired by the land office of the U.S. Dept. of Interior, but he was always effectively under William Kent’s supervision. He spent his time primarily patrolling for poachers and despoilers and clearing many downed trees from trails. In 1921, he retired at age 70. In 1979 Florence Lind recorded her childhood experiences in an oral history taken at her home on Circle Way in Homestead Valley.
When the family lived on Bigelow in Mill Valley, Marie walked to Summit School. After the move to Muir Woods in 1908, she went to Summit School on horseback every day, rain or shine. She’d unsaddle her horse when she got to school, then saddle him again in the afternoon and ride back to Muir Woods. In 1910 when Florence started first grade at Summit School, the two sisters drove a horse and buggy to Hillside Dairy (site today of the Walsh Estates). After unhitching the horse, they went down the Dipsea Stairs to the Old Mill, out across the field where the Sulphur Spring was (site today of Old Mill School) and up Summit Ave. to the school. After school they reversed the trip. This went on for two years.
In 1912, the family moved to a house on Evergreen Ave. in Homestead Valley, and Florence went to Homestead School for 3rd grade. The teacher for grades 1 through 4 was Margaret Foley. Helen Eells was also in 3rd grade, and Harriet Eells was in 1st grade. A German governess drove Helen and Harriet to school in a wicker cart drawn by a pony. Florence was enchanted to see the pony prance down the road. Florence went to Park School for 5th and 6th grades, then to Summit School for 7th and 8th grades and then to Tam High, class of 1922.
By 1930, Sophie Lind had become a widow, but her two daughters still lived with her in the house on Evergreen. Marie married and in 1933 gave birth to a daughter, Linda. After World War II, Florence married a contractor who built their house on Circle Way in Homestead. Linda and her husband now live in her aunt Florence’s Circle Way house.
The family of Andrew Lind of Muir Woods has lived in Homestead for more than a century.
If you have comments or questions about this article or other topics
pertaining to the history of Homestead Valley,
please feel free to e-mail Chuck Oldenburg.